Hewlett Packard, Forced To Recall Hundreds Of Dodgy Notebboks Due To Fire Risk

Hewlett Packard who in the past have been fined millions in the past because of poor warranty practises, is now facing as massive recall of thousands of notebooks and a mobile workstation because of faulty batteries that have the potential to overheat and burst into flames.

HP Australia who has not issued a press release regarding the issue are facing a hefty recall bill according to observers.

PSA claims that many of these batteries are internal and not visible when looking at the laptop.

The battery packs have a CT: code with imbedded information than can be decoded by HP. The first characters of the unique number of a potentially affected battery will be: 6GAVV, 6EZPC, 6FDWN, 6EZZE, 6EZZF, 6EVXH, 6ETGL, 6FSRV, 6FWBF or 6FWBH.

PSA claims the batteries have the potential to overheat and that there is a real risk of fire and a that the HP products are a burn hazard.

What should consumers do?

Go to the HP Battery recall website at: www.hp.com/go/batteryprogram2018 (link is external) and follow the instructions to validate your battery. If the validation process indicates that your battery is affected, cease use of the battery immediately. HP will provide replacement battery services for each verified, affected battery, at no cost.

Note: Batteries affected by this recall should immediately be put into” Battery Safe Mode”. You may continue to use your notebook on “Battery Safety Mode”, by connecting the notebook to a HP power adaptor.

For further information on this recall, go to the HP Battery Recall website at: www.hp.com/go/batteryprogram2018 (link is external) and select ‘Contact Us’ or phone 13 10 47.
Affected batteries can be identified by visiting the HP website at https://batteryprogram687.ext.hp.com/

David Richards has been writing about technology for more than 30 years. A former Fleet Street, Journalist He wrote the Award Winning Series on the Federated Ships Painters + Dockers Union for the Bulletin that led to a Royal Commission. He is also a Logie Winner. for Outstanding Contribution To TV Journalism with a story called The Werribee Affair. In 1997, he built the largest Australian technology media Company and prior to that the third largest PR Company that became the foundation Company for Ogilvy PR. Today he writes about technology and the impact on both business and consumers.